Page 100 of Reign of the Beast

He flinched, but he allowed it nonetheless.

The hardness from him faltered, the blaze in his eyes petering out.

An act of tenderness while he was in this dangerous, volatile state took him aback.

By the time I started speaking, his demonic form had fully retreated.

But he didn’t ease up with his grip on my chest, keeping me against the wall, keeping me right up close.

“I thought I could get there in time to re-erect the ward around the compound. The bureaucrats ate time away and, before I knew it, Draco was descending on us. I didn’tplan on that. I didn’t want that. And I certainly didn’t mean to hurtyou.”

Emotion swam in his eyes. He was on the verge of breaking, fighting terribly to hold it back.

His hands slid to my shoulders, up my neck, settling on my face. “You were dying in my arms. I could barely hear your heartbeat. I felt you slipping away to the Valley of the Dead. I watched helplessly as the Immortal infection spread, growing closer and closer to your heart, to taking you from me forevermore.”

I nodded sadly. Mia had told me everything. “I know, Lucian. I’m sorry I put you through that.”

He slid his hands into my hair, holding me to him, his voice a rough whisper, as he told me, “It took me long enough to find you. I cannot lose you.”

I wanted to tell him that he wouldn’t, that I wasn’t going anywhere, that the incident at the Guardian Compound had been an awful anomaly.

But that would all be a lie.

The truth was, to take down the enemy, we had to risk everything.

None of us were safe.

None of us were immune to death coming for us.

So, instead, I gave what I could, grasping his hands on my face, and telling him, “I swear to you that I’ll do everything in my power to come back to you, to keep what we have intact. I love you. I would never do anything less.”

“My retrieval of the dagger would serve those ends.”

I started.

Damn, he was good.

He’d backed me into a corner.

Honestly, he had every right to, given what I’d put him through. I hadn’t even given him a choice in the matter, I’d just taken off to play hero.

But, right now, Icouldgive that choice.

I nodded. “Fine. Go to Vincenzo. Unleash your powers of persuasion upon him.”

He planted a soft kiss on my forehead, and then he released me, stepping back.

“Just one condition.”

He stilled, tensing. “And what might that be?” he asked warily, clearly concerned our discussion may not be over after all.

“You’re not doing it alone. I’ll back you up.”

“As I’ve said, he won’t respond well to a show of force.”

“Which is why we’re keeping Jaxon and Mia out of it. I’ll cloak myself and only step in if things take a bad turn.”

It took him a moment, but he gave a nod. “As you wish.”

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